Rainbow Eyes
by YinYangWriter
Summary: After being haunted by nightmares of a fey in need, Puck rescues her, but it is only the beginning. Being updated due to typing errors.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own **_**Gargoyles**_**, but I do own the OC. This partially follows the end of **_**Liz Season**_**, but I don't mention Liz at all, just the outcome of what she did and it is a very brief mention. So if you haven't read that story and would like to, here's the spoiler alert. This piece is really only introducing the OC and setting the scene for a later story which I will hopefully have finished by the end of May 2011. Do review and I would very much appreciate it if you read some of my other stories.**

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><p>It was so dark, so very dark. Where was he? He did not know. The air around him was still, foul, heavy with the smell of decay. It made his stomach lurch violently. He could hear whispering, but none of it was clear. There was screaming from far away, bloodcurdling shrieks of agony. The ghosts touched him, grabbed him, pulling his clothes and hair. He fought with them, escaping and flying away only to find something more horrible than they.<p>

It was a girl lying on a stone slab that looked like an altar of some sort. There were many lit candles around her, their sweet, oppressive fragrance adding to the stench. She could not have been very old. Her hair was long, coming to her hips, and unnaturally black. Her ears, though the normal size of a human's, were pointed. Not a stitch of fabric covered her gaunt form. Her face was drawn and wan, looking like a skull with the skin stretched tightly across the surface. Her mouth was parted slightly, lips chapped and bleeding. Her breath rattled audibly in her chest. There were dark rings around her eyes.

He could barely sense what magic she possessed. She was at death's door, almost too far gone to be helped. Letting out a cry of anguish, he tried to reach her. Just as his hand was a few inches from her, the candles around her flared up, engulfing her in flames.

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><p>Owen sat bolt upright in bed. He gasped for breath. "Just a dream," he told himself, wiping some sweat from his brow. "It was only a dream."<p>

Gripping the sheets, Owen forced himself to calm. This was not the first time he had that particular nightmare, but this one was much more vivid than the previous one. The dreams felt so real, like he was actually there with her. On more than one occasion he had to run to the bathroom because the stench made him physically sick.

Feeling utterly filthy, Owen got out of bed and walked to the private bath located in his bedchamber. It was still too early in the morning to begin work, but Owen did not want to go back to sleep. If he saw her again, it would break his heart.

_It's not a dream,_ Puck thought while the human guise showered. _I know it's real. She's there, reaching out to me._

Getting out of the shower, Owen got dressed and quietly went to his office to get an early start on today's work.

It was midmorning. Xanatos had a business presentation with some associates. Owen was there to assist him. He was not needed at the moment, so he took a seat at the conference table.

She was there again, so weak and frail. Owen could swear all he needed to do was reach out and touch her. There was one difference about this vision: she was looking at him. Her eyes were pleading with him. "Help. . . me. . ." she breathed.

Owen ran out of the conference room. Charging into the nearest men's room, he barely made it to the toilet before emptying his stomach. He wretched and wretched, even when there was nothing left in it. When he finally stopped heaving, he wiped his mouth with a piece of toilet tissue and flushed the toilet.

"Owen?" Mr. Xanatos called. "Are you in here?"

"Yes, sir." Owen tried to sound as if nothing was wrong, but his voice sounded strained and raw.

Xanatos came around to where Owen kneeling by the toilet. "Owen." Xanatos put his hand on the majordomo's shoulder. "Owen, you're trembling!"

"I am all right, sir," Owen said, getting to his feet. He swayed slightly, feeling a bit lightheaded. He put his hand on the stall to steady himself.

"No, you're not," said Xanatos, taking Owen's arm. "You just threw up, you can barely stand." Xanatos paused while he felt the heat of Owen's skin through his sleeve. "And you're running a fever."

Owen straightened up, fixed his glasses, and said, "There is nothing wrong, Mr. Xanatos."

Xanatos sighed. "Maybe I've been working you too hard. Take the rest of the day off."

Owen was about to protest, but saw the look in his employer's eyes. "Thank you, sir."

Owen went upstairs to the castle. All was quiet. Fox and Alexander had gone shopping and wouldn't be back for some time. Returning to his room, Owen lay down on his bed.

_If I close my eyes, I may see her,_ he thought. _I may be able to find her. I have the rest of the day, after all._

Owen stood up, tucked his glasses into his pocket and spun around like a top.

Puck grinned. "Little girl in my mind's eye, / with my magic I do scry, / I have heard thy cries, / Reveal thy whereabouts so I may be at thy side!" Green magic focused into one of Puck's hands and he threw it at the mirror in the room.

The mirror revealed a dungeon littered with old bones. Rats scurried about the floor, searching for food. The girl was there! She was lying on the floor with a thick chain wrapped around her. It looked like someone had just thrown her there. The rats would come up to her and Puck could see her flinch as they bit her, eating her alive!

Puck's face went slack with horror. "No," he whispered. He gritted his teeth, blue eyes blazing green at the sight. "No!"

With another wave of his hand, Puck turned the mirror into a doorway and stepped through. The rats scattered at the elf's sudden arrival. Puck knelt beside the girl, running a hand over her cheek. She responded to his touch with a quiet moan of pain, a grimace crossing her face.

"Hush," Puck cooed. "I'm going to get you out of here."

Acute hearing picked up the sound of footsteps from outside the door. Puck acted quickly, scooping up the girl's limp body and dashing through the magic doorway. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the dungeon door open and someone let out a cry of anger upon noticing the girl was no longer there. The doorway closed, leaving Puck relieved and curious. The curiosity would have to be saved for later. Right now the girl needed medical attention. Puck took a blanket from the bed and wrapped her in it.

Xanatos concluded his meeting early after Owen's sudden outburst. He wanted to be sure there was nothing wrong with him. Xanatos had knocked on Owen's door, but received no answer. Thinking he went to the infirmary for something to settle his stomach, Xanatos went there. Instead of seeing Owen, he saw Puck standing next to one of the beds, whispering. On the floor beside the bed was a thick chain that was broken in two, a pair of bolt cutters laying next to it.

"Puck, what's going on?" Xanatos asked, walking over to the elf.

Puck turned to Xanatos, a peculiar look on his face. "Don't you have some paperwork you could be doing?" he snapped.

Oh, there was definitely something wrong. The normally merry elf never snapped unless he was under great stress. Xanatos looked beyond Puck and saw someone lying in the bed. With a start, Xanatos moved to the bed to see the girl Puck had rescued. The bed sheets had been tucked around her waist and her hair did an effective job covering her chest. Around her middle and arms was a line of red welts, courtesy of the iron chain.

"She looks fey," he said.

"She is," Puck confirmed. He let out a heavy sigh. "I thought I had reached her in time, but it seems I'm too late."

"This is what earlier was about, isn't it?" Xanatos asked.

Puck nodded. "I've been seeing her in my dreams for a few weeks now. I kept telling myself it was a nightmare and it wasn't real. I just hoped it would go away."

"But then you saw her while you were awake," Xanatos finished. Puck frowned. "The look in your eye before you ran out of the room. You looked as if you had seen a ghost."

Puck turned back to the still figure of the girl. He bit his lip. There had to be something he could do for her.

"What are you doing?" asked Xanatos, watching Puck scoot the girl to one side of the bed and climb in beside her.

"Hopefully saving her," replied Puck. "Her magic is almost nonexistent. If I can give her some of mine, it may save her."

Xanatos stared as Puck wrapped his arms her waist, pressing her to him. "You can do that?"

"Yes, but it's not going to be easy," Puck said. "I can't give it to her all at once. The process has to be gradual and it will take some time."

Puck took a deep breath and relaxed, closing his eyes. His body radiated a green glow which crept over to the girl. Xanatos took this as his cue to leave.

The process was lengthy. It would be well after sunset when Puck would leave the room to check on Alexander and inform Xanatos of the girl's condition. She was out of the red for the time being, but Puck needed to keep a close eye on her.

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><p><strong>So what do you think so far? I take all reviews, so feel free to write something.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own **_**Gargoyles**_**, but the OC is mine. Please review and tell me what you think.**

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><p>Two days later, the girl woke. Sunlight streamed through the open window. She didn't feel like getting up. She wanted to go back to sleep. She twitched. Something was off. This wasn't what she normally felt when she woke up. She would always feel cold, alone, the rats nipping at her, the hard stone floor leaving bruises if she lay too long in one position. This was very different. She was lying on something soft, a warm blanket around her. There were no rats and she wasn't in any sort of pain. Though she was warm, she could feel something even warmer to her one side. She wanted to be closer to it.<p>

Not really thinking about it, the girl rolled over to it and hit something solid. Freezing, she slowly opened her eyes. Beside her was a white-haired youth with pointed ears. He appeared to be deeply asleep. The girl moved slowly, bringing her hand up to tuck a lock of white hair that hung in his face behind his ear. Her eyes flashed, changing to indigo as her cheeks gained a crimson taint. The peaceful expression he wore was attractive.

He stirred. Maybe he wasn't as asleep as she had first thought. Quickly closing her eyes, she pretended she hadn't woken at all.

Puck yawned and stretched luxuriously. He could feel the girl next to him. Narrowing his eyes and smirking at her, Puck put one hand to the small of her back, watching her expression. Her cheeks turned red.

"I know you're not asleep," he said. She flinched and opened her eyes. "Good morning! Or should I say, 'good afternoon'. You've been asleep for a while, sweetheart."

The girl cringed, her eyes green-gold in color. She didn't know what to say, what to do. She was still trying to understand where she was and how she got here. And who was this fey stranger?

"My name's Puck," he introduced as if he had read her mind. "What's your name?"

Her voice was so tiny, Puck almost missed what she said. "Iris. My name is Iris."

"Iris," repeated Puck. "What a lovely name."

Iris blushed again, her eyes turning indigo once more.

Puck grinned. "And a fitting one as well." He wrapped his arms around her more tightly and pulled her so she was nestled under his chin. She felt so warm now, the fuzzy pajamas she was wearing made her feel like Puck was hugging a stuffed toy.

Iris put one arm around Puck and sighed. She felt safe here. Iris did feel a little strange, like her body felt foreign. It was her body, she was sure of that, but it felt different. She felt heavier and stronger at the same time. She wiggled her fingers and toes a little to see if she could shake the feeling.

"What?" asked Puck. He looked down to see her eyes open and hazel-colored. She was frowning with confusion. "Oh! It's all right. You're going to feel a little strange."

Iris looked up at him. Puck disentangled himself and propped his head up on one hand. Iris sat up and leaned against the headboard.

"I had to give you some of my magic so you could recover," Puck explained. "You were so weak, there was barely enough magic in you to keep you alive. Your body was at the point of eating itself to survive. It's why you were so thin."

Iris looked at her hand. The fingers were still slim, but no longer did her knuckles stick out prominently and she could move them without feeling pain or like the bones would break. Iris reached up and ran a hand over her face. Her cheeks had plumped up considerably. She felt heavier because she had put on a few pounds while she slept. Puck's magic had healed her! Every bite, every cut, every pain, including where the heavy chain had been. What used to be sharp, bony angles were now gentle curves.

"Thank you," she said quietly, truly meaning it.

Puck chuckled as her eyes turned blue-green. He reached out and tucked a long lock of jet black hair behind her ear. "Your eyes change color depending on your emotions," he mused. "That's a lovely color. I don't believe I've ever seen anyone with blue-green eyes like yours. What emotion are you experiencing?"

Iris thought for a moment. When she did, it turned her eyes brown. After a brief minute, they returned to their blue-green color. "It means I'm in a good mood. I know my eyes turn various shades of blue depending what I'm doing. Sometimes dark blue when I'm relaxed, other times bright blue, like yours, when I'm playing."

Puck's ears twitched when he heard the word "play". He sat up and smiled. "You like playing games?"

"It all depends," replied Iris. "I'm no trickster, but every now and then I manage to play with a human."

"What do you like to do?" asked Puck.

"Gardening," answered Iris.

Puck cocked his head to one side. "Gardening?" he asked, making sure he heard her correctly.

Iris nodded. "I used to tend a vegetable patch as big as this room, and that was just the vegetables. There were the fruit and nut trees, the berry thickets, the herb patch, and the flowerbeds as well."

"Sounds like a lot of work," said Puck. "How did you manage to do it all?"

"I had help," said Iris. "You just need to know where to get it. Did you know squirrels make excellent weed pullers?"

"You trained squirrels to pull weeds?" Puck laughed loud and silvery, trying to envision squirrels pulling weeds. It was a very comical image.

"I didn't need to train them," said Iris. "I told them if they pull weeds for me they can have all the nuts they could possibly bury. Considering the nut trees could put down more than they could possibly bury or eat, it was a very fair trade."

"Where did you sleep?" Puck asked, still chortling. "In the trees with them?"

Iris shook her head. "There was a little cottage. I stayed there. It was too small for the average human, but it the perfect size for me. It was covered in honeysuckle!"

"That must have been fragrant," said Puck.

"Oh, yes, it was very fragrant," said Iris. "More than once I would step outside and be overwhelmed by it. I should have cut some of it back so there weren't as many flowers, but I couldn't do that to the hummingbirds."

"What did you do with all the fruit? Surely you didn't eat it all!"

"I sold it," Iris stated simply. "There was always plenty to go around and I did not require much. What I didn't sell fresh at the market was either dried, canned, stored, or turned into meals for the needy. What money I made either went to more seeds for expanding the garden, things I could not get from the garden, or was donated."

"What did you make with all that food?" asked Puck. "I'm sure you learned to cook at some point if you're drying and canning food."

"Yes, I can cook," said Iris. "I did most of my cooking once harvesting season was over for the most part. I was very good at making spaghetti sauce. There would be so many tomatoes that I couldn't sell them all. I had to turn them into sauce. And jams. I could make a wonderful mixed berry preserve. One year I entered it in a contest and won first prize."

"Mixed berry? Strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry mix?" Puck liked the sound of mixed berry preserve. When he did decide to eat, he would try to find something along those lines to have with a piece of toast.

Iris smiled. "You sound like you love it already and you've never tried mine," she giggled.

"I love sweets," Puck stated.

"Cherry pie?" asked Iris.

"With freshly whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder," Puck added.

"Peach cobbler?"

Puck let out a sigh of delight. "Don't get me started on peach cobbler."

Iris thought for a moment, her eyes turning brown. "What about ginger chews?"

"What?" asked Puck.

"That must be something new for you," said Iris. "It's like caramel, but it has ginger in it. Sometimes I put in almonds for some crunch."

Puck's mouth watered. Talking about food made him a little hungry. Iris probably wanted a little something as well.

"Come on," said Puck, hopping out of bed. "Let's see if Broadway left us anything in the refrigerator."

Iris got up as well, slipping her feet into the tiny pair of bunny slippers at the side of the bed. She jogged behind Puck to the kitchen.

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><p>Xanatos could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen. At first he wondered what Broadway was cooking and then realized that the sun was still up and Broadway was still asleep in stone with the other gargoyles. Investigating, he found Puck and their guest standing next to the stove. It was spaghetti sauce by the smell of it.<p>

The fey girl looked a little odd wearing bunny slippers, blue and green fuzzy pajamas, and a white apron. Her black hair was tied back with a green ribbon. She was standing on a step ladder so she could reach the stove properly. Puck floated next to her, chattering like they were old friends. Puck always had that way with others: one way or another he would get them to talk.

Puck drained the water of the spaghetti and the fey girl added the sauce.

"It'll need a few minutes yet, but it's pretty much done," she said.

"Smells good." Puck zipped away to get some plates. "David darling! How nice of you to come by. Come meet Iris!"

Xanatos walked into the kitchen. The girl, Iris, flashed him a quick smile before turning back to the food on the stove.

"I hope you're hungry," said Puck. "Iris made enough for everyone."

Iris stepped down from the step ladder, moved it aside, and opened the oven door. "Puck, what did you do with the oven mitts?"

The oven mitts appeared on Iris's hands. She gave a little start, earning a snicker from Puck. She took a tray out. It was fresh garlic bread. The whole kitchen smelled of Italian cooking now.

They moved to the dining hall to eat. Xanatos and Iris sat in the chairs while Puck sat on the table. Iris could cook!

"Broadway better watch himself or he may be out of a job," Puck said.

"_You_ may be out of that particular job," said Xanatos.

Puck scoffed. "I can cook!"

"Not like this," said Xanatos, slurping up a noddle.

"Impertinent little human!" Puck exclaimed. The twinkle in his blue eyes made it clear he was only playing and didn't really mean it.

"You're a very good cook, Iris," said Xanatos.

"Thank you," said Iris with a bit of blush to her cheeks.

Puck watched closely to see if her eyes would turn indigo. They didn't, only a deep blue. So if deep blue was a form of happiness, what was indigo?

When the gargoyles awoke, they were greeted with the scent of Italian cooking.

"That smells so good," said Broadway. He hopped off the wall and glided to the entrance closest to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, another pot of spaghetti was on the stove ready for the gargoyles. Puck and Iris were sitting on the counter, each with a bowl of chocolate ice cream and sliced cherries. Puck was chatting and Iris was giggling.

"Hey, Puck! What's cooking?" asked Broadway from the door. He caught sight of the startled fey sitting next to him. "Hi!"

"Hello," Iris said, smiling.

Puck chuckled. "We were just talking about you. Where are the others?"

"Coming," said Broadway. "I smelled spaghetti and garlic bread and hurried down here to get some."

"There's plenty there," said Iris.

"Make sure you save some for the others," Puck teased.

Broadway glared, but cracked a smile.

The others came in to get their breakfast of spaghetti and garlic bread. Puck said good evening to everyone while Iris sat perfectly still, content with observing until one of them noticed her. The one who noticed her was the garg-dog, Bronx. He snarled when he saw Iris perched on the counter. Iris let out a cry and scooted against the wall.

"Bronx, get over here," barked Hudson, patting his leg.

Bronx gave Iris one final growl before walking over to the elder gargoyle. The other gargoyles were watching her now.

"So this is the fey lass," said Hudson. "What a wee thing!"

"She was a lot tinier when I first saw her," said Puck. He came over to coax Iris from the counter. "Come on, Iris. Don't be rude. Say hello."

Iris muttered a greeting to the others, keeping a watchful eye on Bronx. It was evident that Bronx was not very fond of her. Puck managed to sweet-talk Iris from the counter. Lexington, curious as always, crawled over to Iris, grinning. Iris smiled back.

"My name's Lexington," he said.

"I'm Iris," she said.

At that moment, Iris's eyes turned from green-gold to blue-green. Lexington, startled, jumped back. "Whoa!" he cried. "How did you do that?"

"What?" asked Brooklyn.

Lexington laughed. "Her eyes change color," he said.

Puck chuckled. "They do that a lot. It all depends on her emotions."

The gargoyles helped themselves to the meal Iris made and Iris and Puck went outside. They lay on the roof of a shed, staring at the stars.

"Breathtaking," murmured Puck.

"They sure are," Iris agreed.

"I meant you." Puck turned to see Iris's surprised expression, her eyes emerald. He chuckled. "What? Hasn't anyone told you that before?"

Iris shook her head. "No one."

Puck sighed heavily. "Back to being Owen Burnett tomorrow," he said, not very happy about it. "I don't want to, but David needs his favorite assistant."

Iris looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"A few years ago, David found me and made me his servant," explained Puck. "I'll take a human's form tomorrow. At least now I have the freedom to change back whenever I please. For a couple of years I was bound to human form unless there was an emergency." Puck rolled over on his side. "Have you ever taken a human's form?"

Iris nodded. "A few times. When I went to market to sell produce. Whitney Dawson, that's what I called her."

"Maybe I can see her sometime," said Puck. He rolled onto his back again, putting his hands behind his head. "You are very different, Iris. I've never known any fey whose eyes turned with their emotions. Or love to garden." He chuckled a little. "Maybe you can coax some of the tomato plants Broadway planted into growing. Such scraggly things! What few herbs are planted in the beds do little more than take up space. What do you think?" He waited for a moment. "Iris?"

Puck turned to his new friend and found her asleep. She must have been exhausted. It was her first time up in two days and she was still recovering. It shouldn't have surprised Puck that she fell asleep.

Scooping her up, Puck went to his room and placed her on the bed. Knowing he should get a little rest himself, he climbed into the opposite side. Iris, somehow knowing what was going on, cuddled up to him.

_She's still feeding on my magic,_ Puck thought as he felt Iris's magic entering him and drawing on his reserve. _Not that I mind, but it makes me wonder how weak she was. Obviously much weaker than I first thought. I hope she can recover her own soon._

In her dreams, Iris wandered a cavern made entirely out of emeralds. Deep inside was a fire of jade green flames. Iris lay nearby and closed her eyes. It was so warm! The cavern felt like it was closing around her, cutting her off from the rest of the world. Here she felt safe.


	3. Chapter 3

A week past. Iris became much stronger and would wander the castle looking for things to do. At first, Fox and Xanatos were a little concerned. A bored fey usually spelled trouble. But unlike Puck, Iris wasn't much of a troublemaker. When they couldn't find her, they would check the small garden. She could usually be found there, or in the atrium. Within the first few days, the plants in the garden were thriving and the ones in the atrium seemed happier than ever.

Iris got along well with Alexander. At first she was a little nervous; she had never been around small children before, but they assured her that nothing was going to happen. Iris would even show up at lesson time, sitting so quietly in the corner that neither student nor teacher would notice.

By the third day since Iris awakened in the castle, she had enough energy to keep going all day and all night. Sometimes Iris would take a nap in Owen's room, even though the Xanatoses had given her one. Owen would sometimes come in and find her either lying in bed or he would be disturbed in the middle of the night and would find Iris lying on the floor with a pillow and a blanket. It was a little strange, but he didn't mind very much. At least he knew where she was. When she wasn't sleep, she could be found in the kitchen, baking all sorts of treats.

"What are you cooking now?" asked Puck, floating into the kitchen, his delicate nose twitching like mad. "Is that. . . (sniff). . . pumpkin bread?"

"Yes, it is," replied Iris.

Puck took a seat on the counter. He shook his head. "You are going to make a fat elf out of me."

"Then don't eat so much," Iris said.

"Then stop making your treats so delicious!" Puck cried. He looked at the timer on the oven. He would have to wait a few minutes until it was done baking and cooled. He really didn't want to wait.

"Patience," Iris said, catching the look in his eyes. "And some restraint."

"You're talking to me about restraint?" Puck raised an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten what happened to the shortcake you made last night? I don't believe I've seen Broadway wolf down anything that quick. The fork almost went down his throat as well."

"Yes, and Lexington didn't get any," said Iris. "I'll have to hide some of this pumpkin bread from Broadway so Lexington can at least have a bite."

"Hide the whole thing," said Puck.

The timer dinged and Iris took the pan out of the oven and waited for it to cool. She sighed. "I was thinking about returning to my little house, just for a visit. I wouldn't stay long, only long enough to collect a few things."

"You're moving in with us?" asked Puck. Iris nodded. "That's great!"

"I don't really have any other place to go," Iris admitted. "The cottage isn't safe anymore."

Puck was instantly reminded that Iris had been captured and tortured. He had tried to keep those thoughts out of his mind to keep her from distress. His curiosity was beginning to nip at him again. He wanted to know what happened to Iris, but at the same time he didn't want to upset her. Already there was a dark shadow crossing her face and her eyes were changing from blue-green to a strange hue of brownish orange, a color Puck never saw before. He watched Iris shudder and check the pumpkin bread to see if it was cool enough to take out of the pan and place on the cooling rack.

"It's all right." Puck put his arms around Iris in a gentle but firm embrace. "You're safe with me."

Iris returned the hug. "Thank you."

"If it makes you feel better, I'll go with you."

Iris blinked, eyes back to their blue-green color. Relieved, Iris rested her head on his shoulder. "I would like that very much."

"I'll ask David if I could take a little time to go with you," Puck said. "He may even want to come as well."

Iris nodded. "Okay."

Puck did not want to ask his next question, but he did. "What happened to you?"

Iris went rigid against Puck. "I was captured a long time ago. Maybe not as long as I thought, but to me, it seemed like an eternity. I was beaten, bound in iron chains. They wanted my magic, wanted to use me for their nefarious plots. I wouldn't comply. At last they just locked me up and waited to kill me. I guess they thought that I would obey them when I was about to die."

"They didn't know your magic was dwindling while they left you in there to rot, did they?"

Iris shook her head. "Not a clue. To me, it was a blessing. I was in pain constantly, but I had a clear conscience."

Puck moved one hand to the back of her head and held her tighter. "Iris, I won't let them hurt you. If they come back to try and take you, I won't let them."

A single tear slipped down Iris's cheek, one of relief. "Thank you, Puck."

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><p>After a few days, once Iris was settled in completely and things had returned to normal for the most part, Xanatos and Owen got together and planned the trip to Iris's cottage. The cottage was located in a remote region. They decided the only way they were going to get there was if Iris transported them with her magic.<p>

Owen found Iris in the little garden tending the tomatoes. It had taken a few days for Iris to get used to seeing Puck's human guise about, but she warmed up to him. She had her back to him and was digging around in the dirt, whispering softly, encouraging the tomatoes to grow. She looked cute in her denim overalls and lettuce green top. Her hair was pulled back with a green ribbon.

"Iris," Owen said, announcing his presence.

Iris gave a little start and looked over her shoulder. "Hi, Owen. What's going on?"

"I have spoken with Mr. Xanatos about your trip home," said Owen. "Will you be able to go tomorrow?"

Iris's eyes lit up. "Tomorrow? Of course!"

"You will have to be able to transport us there with your magic," said Owen. "Do you think you are strong enough to do it?"

Iris thought for a moment before nodding her head. "I'm pretty sure I can."

"If you can get us there, Puck can get us back," said Owen.

"So tomorrow, then," said Iris. She rearranged some of the soil. "That sounds good to me."

Owen returned to his office.

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><p>The next morning, Iris gathered what power she possessed and prepared herself to transport the three of them to her cottage.<p>

"Ready?" asked Xanatos.

Iris nodded and focused on where she wanted to go. Her magic surged briefly and they were in the middle of a forest. Iris fell back, Xanatos catching her.

"This is as close as I could get us," Iris said. "We're not far from the cottage." She struggled back to her feet.

Xanatos kept his hand at her elbow. "Are you going to be all right?"

Iris nodded. "I'm fine."

The three of them walked the narrow trail until they exited the forest. Iris let out a small cry of despair and her hand flew to her mouth. There were many trees, but they were overgrown with ivy. There were weeds everywhere. And about fifty yards in front of them was a mound of vegetation.

"I never knew how long I was gone," Iris whispered. The two men turned to her to see tears in her eyes. "But I was gone for a very long time."

Iris slowly made her way through the weeds to the mound of vegetation. She began to pull at the vines. The men watched as a glimmer of metal made itself known. It was a door handle. Iris gave it a twist and pushed. The door wouldn't open. She pushed a little harder.

"The wood's warped," said Xanatos. He moved Iris aside and gave the door a good kick. The door groaned, but gave and opened.

The three of them went in. Xanatos and Owen both had to duck to get through the door. Iris moved about, stepping over an overturned chair and broken ceramics. The entire cottage was filled with dust and it looked like there was a struggle. Many things were broken.

"Oh," was all the Xanatos said.

Owen knew without asking what his employer meant. This is where Iris was taken. And by the looks of things, she had fought back.

Xanatos looked around. While they were looking at the room, Iris had disappeared. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Up here," came a small reply, trembling with unshed tears.

They turned to see a small, narrow staircase, one which neither of them could get up.

Iris was in her little bedroom, sitting on the bed and holding a small wooden flower that's paint was peeling. It had been a gift from one of the people in the market. Iris, who didn't need money, traded for little knickknacks when people couldn't pay her in cash.

Looking around the dust coated room, Iris saw the remnants of good memories that were destroyed by horrifying events. The small tin that was filled with jewelry she received from the jeweler was knocked on the floor and earrings, necklaces, and her favorite ring were on the floor. Feathers she had collected from the birds were scattered over her little table instead of in the little wooden box she always kept them in. The curtains were torn down from the broken window and laid in a heap, the curtain rod bent (Iris remembered when she ripped it down when they tried to drag her away). The window itself was now covered by vines. A porcelain doll, a gift from a child at Christmas time, laid twisted and shattered on the floor.

Iris put the flower down and went to the closet. The door wouldn't open for her right away, but Iris eventually got it open. Most of her clothes were still intact. Her shoes lined the bottom of the closet. Hanging on the back of the door was her favorite canvas bag, vibrant pink with irises embroidered at the top and a large one on each side, another gift from the locals. Iris took it down and began salvaging what she could of her belongings. She placed in her favorite rain boots and coat, which were a matching set — red with daisies — her lavender head scarf and her blue-violet sun dress that still smelled of the dried flowers she had kept in her closet. That's all she put in before she broke down into tears.

Puck stood in the doorway. He was curious as to how Iris was doing and had come up the small staircase to check on her. He found her kneeling in front of her closet, a canvas bag in front of her. She was bent so her head was almost between her knees and was sobbing. Without a word, he sat down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

Iris hurried to regain her composure so she could keep packing. She sat up, wiped some of the tears away, and continued going through her things, her lower lip trembling as she did. Puck stayed beside her while she packed.

"You. . . you can look around if you like," Iris said with a shuddering breath. "You don't have to sit here and watch me."

Taking the subtle hint that she wanted a little space, Puck got up and began looking around the room. He took in the scattered feathers, the jewelry on the floor, the broken doll, and the bed — the bed looked like it hadn't been made since Iris was taken. Puck cursed in his mind. The monsters had stolen her from her own bed. No wonder she preferred to sleep in Owen's room though she had her own. The poor thing probably had nightmares when she was alone.

"Iris," Puck said softly, "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

"Okay," whispered Iris.

Puck returned downstairs to Xanatos poking around the kitchen.

"She was quite the cook," commented Xanatos. "No wonder her treats taste so good. She's had years of practice to perfect them." He noticed a small metal shelf with several books. "These are probably her cookbooks. We should ask if she wants them."

"Bring them anyway," said Puck. "She's not in a talking mood at the moment."

Xanatos turned to the trickster to see the angry look on his face. "Care to share?"

Puck looked at Xanatos. "They took her from her own bed, David. No wonder she doesn't sleep in her own room. She's too terrified of being alone."

Iris came downstairs with her bag filled. She set it on the kitchen table. "I'll be right up," she said, moving to the door Puck and Xanatos failed to notice. It was the cellar door. As soon as Iris opened it, there was a rancid smell that gagged all three of them. Iris pushed the door shut and took her head scarf from her bag, wrapping it around her mouth and nose. "Sorry," she apologized before opening the door again and disappearing. She pulled the door shut behind her.

In the cellar, Iris used a bit of magic to light her way. Most of the food she kept down here was completely rotten, causing the foul odor. Iris wasn't too concerned about it now. She was more interested in finding the box of seeds she kept here in case of an emergency. They probably wouldn't have grown for anyone else, but Iris had a way with plants. If anyone could make an old seed grow, it was Iris. The box was sitting on a shelf with "Seeds" carved into the lid in swirling letters. Iris took the box from the shelf and opened it. Inside were small envelopes with the name of the seeds the held.

"Good," whispered Iris, holding her hand over the envelopes. "There's still some life left in them."

Iris went back upstairs and pulled her scarf from her face. "This is the last," she said, placing the box into her bag.

"Are you sure this is all you want to take?" Xanatos asked.

Iris nodded. "It's all I need." She looked up at the cookbooks he was holding. She smiled. "Good thinking. Broadway may want them."

"And you don't?" asked Xanatos.

"I have my favorite recipes memorized," Iris replied. "There may be a few he may want to try."

Puck transported them back to the castle. He watched Iris return to her room with her bag of belongings. She looked so sad.


	4. Chapter 4

One night not too long after Iris took her things from the cottage, Puck sensed something out of the ordinary. It was coming from Iris's room. Frowning, he went to her room and knocked on the door. There was no answer, but he could hear her moaning.

"Iris?" he called softly, opening the door.

Iris was tossing and turning in her sleep. All of the blankets had been kicked off the bed and a pillow had found its way in front of the wardrobe. She was sobbing brokenly while she fought off some unseen assailant.

Puck zipped over to the bed. "Iris!" he called. He shook her to no avail. Iris took a swing at him, giving him a good thump in the ribs. "Iris!" he called again a little louder. "Iris, wake up!"

"No," she moaned. She fought harder, thrashing wildly. "No. No. No!"

"Iris!" Puck muttered a curse and pulled her from the bed.

"Let go!" screamed Iris.

"Iris, it's me! It's Puck!"

A blast of magic from Iris sent Puck clear across the room. He quickly got up to see Iris sitting up on her own, her eyes open.

_Good,_ he thought. _She's awake now._

Upon closer inspection, Puck saw that maybe Iris wasn't awake at all. Her eyes, now a deep violet color, were vacant of all thought and emotion. Iris began to go through the motions of pulling the sheets back, though there were none there, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She got up and walked over to the small desk. Puck slowly moved to Iris's side. She had picked up a pencil and was drawing something on the cover of a notebook. Looking over her shoulder, Puck watched as she drew what appeared to be the letter I with a circle cutting through the stem. Iris was just finishing up drawing a flame in the circle when she dropped her pencil and fell back into Puck's arms.

"Iris," whispered Puck, not really talking to her, but wondering out loud, "what is this? Is it something you saw while you were a prisoner?"

Iris moaned in her sleep. Puck quickly put her back to bed, covering her with a sheet. He was going to leave, but decided to stay. He kicked off his boots and got into bed beside Iris. She immediately moved over so she was up against him. Iris's skin felt like it was burning. Puck looked at the window and waved his hand. The curtains parted and the window opened to allow some cool air in.

Puck could feel Iris trying to push her magic into him to draw on some of his own. He allowed it, hoping it would make her feel better. After a few moments of staying completely still, he noticed that she wasn't drawing on his magic at all. Iris was only pushing a little of her magic into him.

_Instead of drawing on it, she's only been getting close to it,_ Puck thought in awe. _She doesn't need it, but she goes to it like a moth to a flame. Except from her first few nights here when I was healing her, she's never taken any of it._

Puck kissed Iris's brow and closed his eyes for a few moments.

* * *

><p>In the morning, Iris woke up to a still asleep Puck. She slipped out of the circle of his arms and pulled the sheet up around his shoulders. She got dressed and looked over at the small desk. And her drawing from last night. Iris let out a gasp and leaped away from the desk. Old memories resurfaced unwantedly. Iris covered her ears feebly as she heard the shouts from the people who attacked her. She remembered being pulled from her bed in the middle of the night and taken to that accursed, rat-filled cell.<p>

Something pulled at her hands. Someone was shouting. Iris tried to block it out, not knowing it was Puck yelling at her to snap out of her stupor.

"What is going on in here?" Fox asked from the door. She had been alerted to the room by Iris's screams and Puck's shouting.

"I don't know!" shouted Puck, tugging at Iris's hands to pull them away from her ears so she could hear him. "She just started screaming."

Fox came in and held Iris still while Puck tried to get through to her again. They managed to get one hand away from one ear. Iris heard Puck's frustrated yells and was immediately brought back to the present. They allowed her to sink to the floor and catch her breath before asking any questions.

"Iris, are you all right?" asked Fox.

Iris, shaking as if she was sitting in snow, turned to Fox with that brownish-orange gaze. "No," she replied in a hoarse whisper. "I don't think I'll ever be all right."

"What caused this?" asked Puck.

"I looked over and saw their mark," Iris said. "I panicked. I thought they were coming back for me again."

"What mark?" asked Puck.

Iris gulped. "The one on the book cover." She pointed to the small desk.

Puck began to get up. Iris grabbed a gold cuffed wrist. "It's all right," Puck said gently. "I just want to see it."

Iris let go of Puck and he picked up the notebook she drew on last night. "This?" he asked. Iris nodded, turning away. Puck understood she couldn't look at it without remembering what they did to her. "Iris, last night you were sleepwalking. You drew this while you slept. What is it?"

Iris trembled, burying her face in Fox's shirt.

Fox stroked her black hair. "We can't help you if you don't tell us," she said.

"It's their mark." Iris swallowed hard. "Their insignia."

"The ones who took you," said Puck.

Iris nodded.

Puck put the notebook down and returned to Iris's side. He took her from Fox and bid her to meet his gaze. Her eyes were still that brownish-orange. "Iris, you are safe here. You don't worry about them. They will not come here."

"It would be a good idea if you could stay in human form," said Fox. "It keeps Puck here out of the everyday eye. No one suspects him to be the famous trickster."

"She's right," said Puck. "It would be wise to reprise Whitney Dawson."

Iris nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

Puck smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. This instantly chased the brownish-orange color of her eyes away and replaced it with a rich indigo. Iris smiled shyly.

There was a flash of green light. When the light faded, Iris was gone and a young woman took her place. She was a little taller than Puck with sun kissed skin, bright blue eyes, and chestnut hair that hung in little ringlets at her shoulders. She wore a denim jumper dress with an emerald green T-shirt and a pair of black ballet flats.

"Is this okay?" she asked. Her voice was earthier than Iris's whisper.

Puck raised an eyebrow. "So this is Whitney. I don't think those mortals will know it's you, sweetheart."

"That's the point," said Whitney.

Puck spun around and returned to Owen. "I have work that needs to be done," he said. "Excuse me."

Whitney turned to Fox. "I guess I have to start working as well."

Fox smiled. "You keep cooking like you do and I can't say anything. Alex ate green beans the other day without a fuss. That in itself is a job."

Whitney laughed and skipped off to the kitchen.

_A new start,_ Iris thought. _A new home. And the best part: _they _are not going to find me this time._

* * *

><p><strong>This is how I am ending it. I plan on continuing it when I introduce new characters and who "they" are. It's a lame ending, but it keeps you interested, doesn't it?<strong>


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